Tillage implement



TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed Dec. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gmc/nto@ Nov.' L ma. g; T, RAY 1,8536@ TILLAGE INIPLEMENT Filed Deoqzs, 195o 4 sheets-sheet 2 Nav., L 393%, c. T. RAY

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed Deo. 29, 1930 Sheets-Sheet NQm L, w32 c. T. RAY

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed Dec. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov,v 1, 1932 A casetas r. an', or maremma; Kaart', assrerma ro as. avana a sons, or

LOUISVILLE, amc, a ooaroaarror or Aaan f: l

antrace mammaire Application med December '29, i930. Serial Ito. 505,411.8.

l A primary purpose of this invention is to lprovide an attachment for tractors which,

when assembled with the tractor, will form a tillage implement of very compact and of. simple and durable nature including elements under control ofthe operator of the the depth at.

tractor for predeterminin which the soil working mem ers shall operate and other elements also under control of Am said operator for'raising and lowering saidA members from and into working position by power derived from the travel of the tractor,

and which implement will be capable of preparing the land for crops which are to be planted in rows, or of otherwise treating said` land, in a satisfactory manner re ardless `of any unevenness in the land ing worked or planted. Again, a primary purpose of this invention is to provide a tilla e attachment for tractors, the respective eart workingelements ofwhich w1ll operate at the precise depth below the surface of the land for which they have been set, even thou h Wheels of the tractor engage land whic cause the tractor 'to move up or down,

or to tilt sidewise, and even though any` or all wheelsy of the tractor engage a sot spot or'spots which cause lowering of the tractor frame and, unless corrected, will cause the earth working elements to penetrate deeper,

thereby increasin t on the tractor the dra to an extent whic frequently renders it impossible for it to pull thegload and hence makes it necessary for the `perator to back the machine and readj ust the earth working elements in order spots.

to pass over such spot or In a general way itmay be stated that the invention in its complete form comprises a 49 tractor of appropriateconstruction, which constitutes the power unit ofthe implement,

and an attachment thereto which includes b "earth-working elements of appropriate nature, and also includes a supporting means '3 for said elements having provision for the setting of theelements to work at various depths and also having provision for the maintenance'of the selected depth, regardless of any inequality in the land engaged by said .5 0 elementsfand regardless of any inequality of the land 4enga ed by the wheels of the tractor. In a genera sense it may be statedthat the attachment includes aparticular correlation of parts, comprising a plurality of lon tudinal beams which extend for a substantlal distance beneath the body of the tractor and are`respectively provided at their rear ends with appropriate e'arth working elements, as middle burster or lister plow bodies, for example, and at their front ends with depth adjusting. means including land engaging members 'arranged to cooperate with a draft means of a particular nature in causing the earth Working elements-to work atthe depth selected thereforv under varyin conditions of the land 'traversed by the w eels of the tractores well as under varying conditions of the land traversed by members at the front ends of the beams of the attachment, the said .draft meansbeing arranged to transmit draft' from the tractor to the attachment but said land engaging incapable of affecting the'depth at which the earth working elements have been set to operate.

' The invention also comprises a particular correlation of parts including an appropriate tractor-as one-adapted for use in relation to two row crop operations, for example,- having a self-supportedearth working attachment aconsiderable part of whose length is underneaththe body of the tractor, and

`in which the parts are so constructed and combined that -theattachment will be nonresponsive to sidewise tilting movements of the 'tractor while free to rise and fall relativel to the tractor in following the contour of tlie land being worked; .in short, in `which l the earth workin elements forming part of the accompanying drawings and The accompanying drawings exempli attachments, or tillage units, wh1ch dltPz f fer from each other in respect of their de- .position by full lines and in transport by dot-and-dash outline;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the con,- struction'shown in Fig. '1 and shows the attachment in full lines and in working posif tion and also shows two different positions of thev tractor relative to the attachment to thereby exemplify that in operation the trac-` tor may assume different positions without affecting `the positioniof the soil working elements, said different positions of the trac- .tor being illustrated respectively in dash outline and in dot-and-dash outline;

Fig. J3 is a plan view showing principal v portions ofthe tillage vattachment; in full linesand parts of the tractor in broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a detail view in side elevation of` a part of the attachment shown also in Figs. 13, inclusive, and is intended particularly to illustrate the capability of relative up or down movements of the earth-working elements with their respective membersxembodied in this form of the invention; "Fi 5 is a detail representation of one mem er of a uiding means such as that shown best in lgig. 3;

Fig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 3, but illustrative of an embodiment which differs from the other in that it lacks capability ofrelative up and down movements of the earth? workingl elements, since the longitudinal members to which the earth-working elements are connected are rigidly tied together by transverse connectingelements; and

Fig. 7 is a rear end elevation of the latter embodiment and shows also a dierent form of guiding means from that Figs. 3 and 5. l

he tractor,.designated as a whole-by the reference letter A, illustrated in relation to both embodiments of the invention is of a well'known construction suitable for general farm usage ,including its use as the power unit of a tillage implement for preparing the land or for other work in relation to crops planted in rows. Since it is, or'mayfbe, of any suitable construction adapted to the uses mentioned, itis unnecessary to describe it in illustrated in detail. 4It will be noted, however, that it is mounted upon two rear supporting wheels a ranged adjacent said seat so as to be readily4 accessible to the operator of the tractor.

vA most useful application of the present invention is in relation to two r'ow middle bursting or listing and planting requirements and accordingly the earth-working elements, which although alike in both embodiments are marked 10 in one embodiment and 10a in the other, are respectively mounted on the downturned rear ends of longitudinaly extending beams, marked 11 in one embodiment and 11 in "the, other. In both embodiments, these beams extend for a substantial distance underneath the body of the tractor, through the space between the rear tractor-supporting wheels a.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1-4, inclusive, the beams 10 are connected with each other, near their rear ends, by a means 96 .whose inner ends are respectively provided with flanges 12 and` 13. These flanges are arranged parallel with and spaced from each other, and each member 12 and 13 is also provided with Aother flanges 12" and 13" respectively near their outer ends. Aspacing sleeve 14 is mounted between the flanges 12" and 13 and has its opposite ends in contact with the inner' surfaces of said flanges; ,A shaft 15 extends through all of said flanges and through the spacing sleeve and is held against longitudinal movement by apptrpriate means, such as lcotter pins indicated a In the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the beams marked 11l are connected with each other bymeans which unites them into a unitary structure. The illustrated means includes a pair of members 12* whose outer ends' are secured to the respective beams near the front ends of' the latter and whose inner ends overlap each other` and are rigidly secured together by any suitable means, a's the clip 14"L v bolted thereto, for example. Said'connecting means also includes a second pair/of members 14', whose outer ends are secured to-the respective and whose inner ends ve- 130 lap each other, and are secured together by appropriate means, as the bolts 15, for example.` Y

The front ends of the beams, 11, and also of the beams 11a, are provided with land engaging elements and between said front ends and elements a pivotal relationship is provided, thus enabling the beams and the -earthworking elements, 10, 10a, carried by the beams to follow the conformation of the land traversed by said land engaging elements.

These land engaging elements are respectively i arranged in substantially the vertical planes of the corresponding earth-working elements 10 or 1()a and operate as gages and are adjustable. Hence they regulate the depthv of penetration of the earth-working elements and maintain such depth regardless of any inequalities of the soil engaged by the earthworking elements. As here shown, the land engaging elements of the depth regulating means, in'both embodiments of the invention, are wheels 16, 16 respectively mounted immediately in advanceiof the front ends of the beams 11 or 11a upon spindles 17 extending inwardly from the corresponding ends of disconnected crank arms 17 whose opposite ends are similarly bent and form pivots 17" which are j ournalled in brackets 18,18 rigidly fixed to the front ends of the respective beamsl 11, or 11%. The adjusting members ofthe depth regulating means include manually operative levers 19, 19 respectively pivoted near ytheir lower ends to the beams 11 or 11a, as' shown at 19', 19', and having their upper ends at opposite sides of and adjacent the seat a3 of the tractor. The lower ends of these leversh'are f connected with the respective crank arms 17,

17 by links 20, 20, said arms being preferably provided with fixed projections 21 to be engaged by the corresponding ends of the links. By means of said links and projections forward or rearward movement of the lower ends of the respective levers 19 are transmitted to said arms and hence to the wheels 16. It will thus be seen that the wheels 16 may be adjusted backward or forward, by corresponding adjustment of the levers 19, and that their movement backward or forward they correspondingly raise or lower the beams 11 or 11a and earth-working elements 10 or- 1()a in accord with the depth at which said earth-working elements are intended to operate. Quadrants 22, whose teeth are selec- 11 tively engageable with spring pressed latches 23 carried by the respective levers 19, liX said levers and hence the links and gage wheels 16 in their adjusted positions. The latches are released from the quadrants by thumb levers 23 connected with said latches by rods 23".

The front end portions of the beams, 11 or 11, are connected cto the front end portion of the tractor by draft means of a nature suol', that it permits adjustment of the beams,

f' earth-working elements and gage wheels as a unit from transport toworking position and` the tractor, and which draft means does not interfere with, or otherwise affect, adjustment of said beams, earth-working elements and gage wheels in accordance with the depth which has been predetermined for the operation of the earth-working elements.

This draft means in both embodiments of the invention, includes links 25, 25 arranged at opposite sides ofthe tractor and each having pivotal connection at its rear end with the front ends of the corresponding beams, 11 or 11a and extending thence at an inclination upward and forward to a place near the front end of the tractor and below the body of the latter. As here illustrated, the pivotal connection of these links with the. front ends of the beams is brought about by mounting the rear ends of the links upon the respective spindle portions 17" of the crank arms of the gage wheels 16. The front ends of the respective links, in both illustrated .embodiments of the invention, are journalled upon out-turned members 26 respectively extending from the ends of an arch-shaped element, which element includesl a member 26, which extends across Vand is suitably secured to the front end of the tractor, and members 26", which connect its members 26 and 26with each other at opposite sides of theelement. Atfeach side of the implement there is a thrust bar 27 which extends convergently with rela-tion to the corresponding side armV 26" of the arch-shaped element and has its forward end mounted on the member 26' ofsaid element. The rear end ofeach thrust bar is suitably connected to theframe of the tractor, being 'here shown as mounted ina socket 28 forming part of the tractor frame.

It will be understood that in adjusting the attachment or tillage unit in accordance with the selected depth of penetration of the earthworking elements 10, the forward ends of the beams respectively turn pivotally about the spindles 17 ofthe gage wheel arms and thatthe up anddown movements of said beams in following the conformation ofthe land engaged by thel gage wheels are also about the said spindles 17". These movements of the beams accordingly are relative to the links 25 and other elements of 'the draft mechanism. It will be noticed that 'the correlation of the links, arch element, and

ros

thrust bars, are such that the members 26 v tarily about the members 26 of the arch element as the axis of such movement.

, l Adjustment of the height of the spindles 26, forming part of the arch member of the draft means, with relation to the land, thereby correspondingly adjusting the axis of the pivotal movement of the tillage attachment from and into working position, is contemplated and one means of simple and practicable construction by which this may be accomplished but to which the invention is notrestricted has been illustrated. Said means includes a pair of brackets 30 secured to opposite sides of the tractor frame at the front end of the latter, andeach having a plurality of recesses '30' in its upper surface. The transverse member 26 of the arch may be mounted in any one of these recesses thereby positioning the spindles 26 at a corresponding height from the land. Latches 31 pivoted respectively at 31 to the brackets 30, and extending over the upper surface of the latter, to which they are secured at 31, are provided to secure the arch in any of its adjusted positions, to said brackets.

The raising of the tilla e attachment from working to transporty position and the lowering of said attachment from transport to working position is accomplished by power derived from the travel of the tractor,

through the medium of a power lift Vmechanism which includes a clutch B of appropriate construction and suitable connections between the driven member b of said clutch and the frame of the implement. This clutch is of that well known construction operative by successive partial revolutions of its driven member respectively to raise and lower the part to be moved thereby. An example of such a clutch is shown in my patent of the United States issued November 9, 1926, and numbered 1,606,132, to which reference may be had. In the present invention its'operation is initiated by the operator of the tractor through the medium of afoot actuated lever 32 pivoted at 33 to the frame of the tractor and having arm 33 by which it is connected to the driven member ofthe clutch. It -will be noticed that the lever 32 is substantially of bell-crank form, and it will be understood that the driving member of the clutch is rotated continuously in the operation of the implement by any suitable connection with the tractor, and it will also be un-` derstood that said clutch, in common with all clutches of this nature, includes ap(propriate elements by which its driven an driving members are automatically engaged with each other under control of the lever 32 and automatically disengaged from each other when the movement initiated by operation of said lever has been completed. lifting bail, including side arms 34. 34 connected with each other by a transverse member 34 suitably 'r journalled to the frame of the tractor, is

provided as a art of this power lift mechanism and sai bail is connected with the driven member b of the clutch by a link 35 which is pivoted at 35' to said driven member and at 35 to a member 36 which projects ronithe corresponding side arm 34 of the lifting bail. The free ends of said side arms and fall relatively ito the tractor and with the gage wheels 16, when the latter encounter depressions or soft spots as well as hum s, and, in short, to adapt the earth working elements to follow the conformation of the particular parts of the land respectively engaged by the gage wheels. Flexible means, such as chains 37 whose lengths are such as to provide slack sucient to permit such relative movements, are preferred.

It will be apparent that in the operation of the power mechanism the lifting bail will be turned about the axis of its member 34' and, assuming such movement to be a lifting movement, the first part thereof will take u the slack inthe chains whereupon the ball will become effective to raise the beams 11 or 11*l and the earth-working elements 10 or 10, gage wheels 16, and rear ends of the links 25, to transport position and itwill be understood that when this operation has been completed the driven member of the clutch is automatically disconnected from the driving member thereof and that the parts which have just been raised to transport position will be held in said position by the connection between the lifting bail and said driven member, since the construction of clutches of this nature is such that the driven member is held in- 'a fixed position until the control lever, the lever 32 in this instance, has been again operated. When said lever has been so again operated the reverse movement obviously takes place.

To guide the beams of the tillage attach'- ment in their up and down movements and hold them against undue lateral movement two different means of guiding nature with ,relation to the beams are illustrated in the accompanvinsz drawings. While one of these means is shown only inoperative relation with the embodiment of the invention in which the beams are movable relatively to each other (see Figs. 3 and 5) and the other only in relation to that embodiment in which the beams are fixed together against relative movement (see'Figs. 6 and 7) I would have it understood that either form of guiding means may be used in either of said embodi- I ments of the invention. In fact, a guiding Vmeans of any suitable construction and attached toany suitable part or parts of the Y Vvided such means will act to conne the tillage attachment to a predetermined limited lateral movement relative to the body of the tractor and will permit the necessary relative up and down movements of the tillage attachment and tractor.

The particular guiding means shown best in Figs. 3 and 5 comprehends a pair of arms 38 whose rear ends are slotted, as shown at 38', and held in a spaced relation by rivets 38". The forward ends of these arms extend forwardly and upwardly in a divergent relationship with each other and are each pivoted to the tractor, at 39. The rear ends of these arms are arranged 'between the flanges 12', 13 of the arms 12 and 13, through the medium of whichthe beams 11 are'pivotl ed upon the shaft 15, and are mounted on the spacing sleeve 14 which extends through the slots 38', as shown in Fig. 5.

The -other form of the guiding means, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, comprises twoV separate arms 38a wholly detached from each other and respectively iixedly `secured at their Aouter ends to an appropriate part of the tractor from which they project downward into position at the outer sidesiof the beams.

It Iwill be apparent that with either of these forms relative up and down movements of the tractor and beams of the tillage attachment is permitted and at the same time lateral swinging movements of said beams is prevented. v

It is preferred in practice to so correlate the parts that convenient interchange of tillage attachments may be ed'ected and, in this connection, attention is called to the fact that the .forward ends of the draft links 25 and thrust bars 27 are held upon the arch' spindles 26 by cotter pins 26, the removal of which pins permits the draft links and thrust.

.bars to be detached from the arch. rlhe thrust bars may then be reconnected to said spindles and will be held against displacement therefrom by replacing the cotter pins. When the draft links have been thus disconnected from the arch, and when the chains 35 have been disconnected from the beams 11 gage wheels, and soil working elements are thereby freed from any connection with the tractor. A "fr From the foregoing,` it will be noticed that I have provided an implement in which thei correlation ofparts is such that the depth regulating levers andV power lift control lever are adjacent the drivers seat so-that he may conveniently operate the same by directpressure thereby, and that none of theweight of the tractor is imposed uponl theattachment,

-and,moreover, that the connections between the tractor and ,attachment are such as to permit the front end of the tractor tofollow-inequalities in the soil, that is to rollover a equalities in the soil, such as may be caused by a hump at one side orV a hollow on the other, or by a soft spot in the land, resulting in a sidewise tilting of the frame, without substantially affecting the horizontal position of the attachment beams and accordingly without substantially affecting the o eration ofthe earth-working elements 'pr etermine'd by the setting thereof ,in other words, without correspondingly lessening or deepenlng the furrows formed by the plow bodies and without causing either to produce a furrow of different depth from that produced by the other in the same movement of the tractor. See in this connection, Fig. 2,the said figure showing in full lines the relative position of the rear ends of the tractor frame and attachment in plowing a normally level ground,

and, in broken outline, the relative position of said parts when one side of the tractor body is at a level much lower than that of the other side, due Vto the fact that the wheel aty the former side is in a hollow and to the fact that the wheel at the other side is riding a hump. This of course would be an extreme position, yet it will be noticed that the horizdntal position of the attachment with relation Ito the ground has not been disturbed and accordingly that the plow bodies will still produce furrows of even depths with relation to each l other and which depth will be that predetermined by the setting of the depthl regulating means. Y. This very advantageous result isl accomplished in this invention, notwithstanding the longitudinal beams of the attachment occu y a position substantially under the body of t e tractor, for the reason that the positions of the tillage elements relatively tothe tractor in the actual tillin operation are wholly controlled by the particular parts of the landengaged by the gage wheels and are not affected by any movement of any of the tractor Wheels through a depression or over a hump, or when they encounter a soft spot, in the land. For

or may tilt sidewise in conformity with the character of the land-engaged by its wheels V- or from the arms 34. of the bail, the beams,-

while atv the same time the frontends of the beams of the attachment may move automatically up or vdown in a direction opposite the tractor, or remain in a level position, in conformity withvthe parts of the land engaged by the gage wheels: and this highly desir-able full flexibility between the tractor and the attaclunent,herein so called, results in the preparation Aof a seed bed of the same depth throughout, and in even cultivation of the crops, regardless of depressions, humps and soft spots in the land, and this most important result is believed-to be n ew 1n .all row crop and-analogous operations 1n whlch so1l working means 'are arranged .substantially underneath the bodies of tractors appropriate for Such operations.

Finally it will be noticed that the fore oing results are secured in a construction ofg very compact nature and one in which all the controlts are immediately adjacent the tractor sea Having thus described the invention, what I believe tobe new and desirer to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a beam to extend beneath the body of the tractor, a tillage element carried b said beam, a depth regulating means, inclu ing an adjustable land engaging gage member connected to the front end of the beam in substantially the vertical plane of the tillage element to cause the beam and the tillage element to follow the conformation of the land engaged by said gage member and also including an adjusting lever positioned to be immediately adjacent the seat of the tractor, and a flexible draft means extending from the front end of the longitudinal member and arranged to be underneath the trac tor body and adapted to be connected to the front end portion of said body.

2. A tillage attachment fora wheeled tractor, including a lon 'tudin'ai member toextendbeneath the bo y of the tractor, a tillage elementcarried by said member, a de th regulating means includin an adjusta le land engaging member having connection with the front end of the longitudinal member and A acting as a gage, an operative-controlled vpower lift mechanism having a lost motion connectionl with said longitudinal member and including a clutch operative by successive partial revolutions to raise and lower the longitudinal member and the tillage ele ment and gage from and into working position, adraft member havin at one end a horizontal connection with t e front end of the' longitudinal member and about 'which connection said end of the member moves in the adjustment for depth, an'd said draft member also having, at its opposite end, a horizontal pivotal connection about which the parts move from and into ound working position, means for fixin t e latter connectionto the tractor near t e front end of the latter, and an operatin lever arranged tovbe adjacent the seat o the tractor for initiating movements of the power lift mechanism.

t 3. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a longitudinal member to extend beneath the body of the tractor, a tillage element carried by said member, means connected to said member to raise and lower the tillage element from and intoworking position and to variably regulate the depth at which said element shall work, a draft link whose rear end has pivotal connection with the front end of the longitudinal member,

draft link has 'pivotal connection and by lwhich said link is to be'attached to the tractor, said means including members whose lower ends diverge from said connection and whose upper ends are ada ted for connection wlth the tractor 'at wide y spaced places in the length of the latter. V

4. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, includinga longitudinal beam to extend Well beneath the body of the tractor, a tillage elementcarried bythe rear end of said beam, means including a land engaging ge member connected to the front end o the beam and arranged in substantially the vertical plane of the tillage element and operative to cause said beam and tillage element to follow the conformation of the'land engaged by the tillage element, a flexible draft means to connect the front end of the beam with the front end portion of the tractor, and a guiding means arranged to permit u and down movements of the beam relatively to the tractor, in conformity with inequalities in the land engaged by the supporting means of said beam 'and to confine the latter a ainst lateral movement within predetermine limits.

5. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a lon 'tudinal member to ex- I tend beneath the bo y of the tractor, a tillage element carried b said member, a land 'said member and whose rear end has horizontal pivotal connection with the latter, and

also including a member extending in an upward and forward direction from the forward end of the link and whose forward end is adapted for attachment to the tractor and whose rear end has a horizontal pivotal connection with the said forward end of the link, and a forwardly and downwardly extendmg thrust bar whose rear end is adapted for connection to the tractor and whose forward end is in such relation with the pivotal connection at the frontend of the link and with the member which connects the link with the frame as to co-operate with saidmember in holding said pivotal 4connection fixedly in y' memes cludes an operating lever positioned to beA adjacent the tractor seat when the attachment and tractor are-in their assembled relation. t

8. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, comprising a plurality of longitudinal members each to extend beneath the body of .the tractor, tillage elements respectively carried by said members, depth regulating means provided with adjustable land engag ing members having connection with the front ends Vof the respective longitudinal members and acting as gages, an operatively controlled power lift device to be carried by the tractor, a bail, including a transverse member to be journalled to the body of the tractor and side arms carried by said member, connections between the bail and the power lift device and lost motion means respectively attached to the side arms of the bail and connecting the same with the respec-v tive longitudinal members.

9. A structure according to claim 3, wherein means are provided to permit ready connection and disconnection of the front end of the link from and into operative relationship with the means by which it is connectedto the, tractor.

10. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a longitudinal beam to extend well beneath the body of the tractor, atillage element carried by the rear end of said beam, a gage member pivotally connected to the front end of the beam and arranged in. substantially the vertical plane of the tillage element and operative to cause said beam and tillage element to follow the conformation of the land engaged by the tillage element,

A means, -including a lever positioned to be @aber and tillage element to follow the conadjacent the tractor seat whenv the attachment is assembled with the tractor, to adjust the gagemember and thereby regulate the depth of penetration of the tillage element into the land and a flexible draft means to connect the front end of the beam with the front end tillage element carried by said member, a.

crank arm having at its upper end a laterally extending ,member journalled to the front` end of said longitudinal member and pro` l Y. videdat its end with a spindle, a land engag# ing gage'wleel mounted upbn said spindle and, operatingto cause the longitudinal memformation of the land engaged by the tillage element, a flexible draft means to connect the front end of the longitudinal member with the front end portion of the tractor, including a link whose rear end is mounted on the laterally extending member of the crank arm, and a guiding means arranged to permit up and down movements of the longitudinal member relatively to the tractor and to conlineV said member against lateral movement within predetermined limits.

12. A tillage attachment for. a wheeled tractor, including a pair of beams, means con necting said beams with each other to hold them against relative lateral displacement, tillageelements connected to the rear ends of said beams, depth regulating means, including land engaging gage elements connected directly to the front' ends of the respective beams, and a draft means, including forwardly extending independent'draft links whose rear ends have horizontal pivotal connection with the front ends of the beams and whose forward \ends are adapted for dhprizontal. pivotal connection with a means by which the draft means is connected to theI tractor.' i

13. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a pair of beams, means connecting said beams with each other to holdV them against relative lateral displacement, tillage elements connected to the rear ends of said beams, crank arms provided Vat theirupperends with laterally extending members journalled at the front ends of the lrespective beams, landengaging'gagel wheels mounted on the lower ends of saidcrank arms, and

upon the laterally extending members of the crank arms and ywhose forward ends are, ladapted for horizontal pivotal connection with a means by which `the draft means is connected to thetractor.

14. A structure according to claim l2, in

which the means to connect the draft links 'with the tractor includes a forwardly and rearwardly adjustable arch havingA lateral spindles upon which the forward ends ofthe draft links are mounted. f

15. A structure according to claim 12, in

which the means to connect the forward ends of the links with the tractor includes, for the respective links, a pair of downwardly converging members which have connection with each other at their lower en ds and are adapted for connection with the, tractor at their;

upper ends, and co-operatively hold the lpivotal connection at the front ends of the corresponding againstl displacement rel atively tothe tractor.

16. A structure according to claim 12,-in

which the means to connect the draft links with the tractor'rincludes an arch having spindles atits ends upon which the forward '.endsfof the draftv links are journaled, andin which, also, thrust bars, adapted for connection with the tractor, are connected with the i arch in such relation thereto as to prevent displacement of said spindles relative tothe tractor. 17. A structure according` to claim 12, in which the means to connect the draft links with the tractor includes an arch whose side arms extend forward and upward from the links and have spindles at theirkfree ends upon which the links are journaled and whose transverse member is attached to the tractor when the the tractor and attachment are assembled, and in which thrust bars are employed, respectively adapted for connection at one end to the tractor and extending thence in a forward and downward direction and having their other ends connected to the arch in such relation thereto as to co-operate there'- with in holding said spindles against displacement.

18. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a pair of lbeams having relative up and down movements and held against relative lateral displacement, tillage elements carried by the rear ends of said beams, land engaging gage wheels respectively connected to thefront ends of the beams and a draft means, including forwardly ex- 80 tending independent draft links whose rear ends have horizontal pivotal connection with the front endscof the beams and whose forward ends areadapted for horizontal pivotal connection with a means by which the draft means is connected to the tractor.

19. A structure according to claim 12, in which the means connecting the beams with each other unites the beams into a untarily movable structure. 1

20. A `tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a pair of beams, means connecting said beams with each other to hold them against relative lateral displacement, tillage elements connected to the rear ends `of said beams, depth regulating means including land engaging gage elements connected directly'to 'the lfront ends of the respective beams, a draft means including forwardly extending draft links whose rear ends have horizontal pivotal connection with the beams and whose forward ends are adapted for horizontal pivotal connection with a means by which the draft means is connected to the tractor, and a guiding means to be connected to the tractor to define lateral movement of either beam relatively to the tractor.

21. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a pair ofbeams, tillage elements connected to the rear ends of the beams, land engaging supporting means for the front ends of the beams, draft means to connect the beams with the tractor, and means connecting the beams with each other and permitting relative up and down movements 65 thereof in accord with the conformation of i the land traversed bythe respective supporting means, said connectin meansincluding members whose outer en s are attached tov the respective beams and a transversely eX- tending shaft with which said members have pivotal connection.

22. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, inclu ing a pair of beams, tillage elements connected to the rear lends of the beams, land engaging supporting means for the front ends of the beams, draft means to conneet` the beams with the tractor, and means connecting the beams with each other and permitting relative up and down movements thereof in accord with the conformation of the land traversed by the respective supporting means, said connecting means includmg members whose outer ends are attached to the respective beams and whose inner ends are provided with rearwardly extending Y flanges spaced from each other, other rearwardly extending flanges secured to therespective members near the outer ends of the latter, a spacing sleeve between the flan es at the inner ends of the members, a sha extending through the spacing sleeve and also through al1 of said flanges and about which said members have pivotal movement, and means operatively related'to said flanges and shaft to prevent lateral displacement of the beams relatively to each other.

23. A-,structure according to claim 21 in which a guide means, mounted at the rear end upon said shaft and adapted for pivotal connection at the front end with'the tractor, is provided to define lateral movements of the eams relatively to the tractor.

24. A structure according to claim 22 in which guide arms mounted at their rear ends on the spacing sleeve and extending forwardly therefrom and having their forward ends adapted for pivotal attachment to the tractor, are provided to define lateral movements of the beams relatively to the tractor.'

25. A tillage attachnient for a. .wheeled tractor including a pair of beams, means t pivotally connect the beams with the tractor and means pivotally connecting-said beams with each other, said means co-operating to hold the beams against relative lateral movelment and to permit their front ends to move up and down relative to each other and to the tractor. Y g c 26. A tillage attachmentV for a wheeled tractor, comprising Va pair of beams, means pivotally connecting said beams" with each other to permit them to have relative upv and down movements while holding them against relative lateral movement, a ower liftl mechanism, including a clutclran `oo nnectlons be:

tween the beams andsaid clutch, operative to lift the beams bodily to transport position and to permit.I limited up and downmovement of 4the beams relative to the tractor while Vin working position.

iis

tractor, comprising a pair of beams, means pivotally connecting said beams with each other, a lifting bail having a horizontal member adapted to be journalled to the frame of the tractor and side arms whose free ends respectively have connection with the beams ermitting limited vertical movement of the cams relatively to said ends, respectively, while the parts are in a working position, a power lift mechanism including a clutch one member of which is connected to the bail and operates therethrough to raise and lower the A beams from and into working position.

28. A tillage attachment for a wheeled tractor, including a pair of beams, means pivotally connecting said beams with each other to hold. them against-relative lateral movement and permit their front ends to have relative movements automatically in up and down directions during actual soil working operation, tillage elements .connected to said beams, depth regulating means, including. land engaging gauge elements for the respective beams and'means for adjusting the gauge elementsvertically relative to the beams, respectively, and draft means, including draft -lnks whose rear ends have horizontal pivotal connections with said beams and whose forward ends' are adapted for hor1zontal pivotal connection with the tractor frame near the forward end of the lat-ter.

29. A one man tillageimplement for use in j relation to row crops, comprising a'tractor including a frame and supporting wheels at its front and rear ends, a plurality of beams of the tractor frame, and also having a horizontal pivot fixed against movement relatively to the tractor, and an operator-con trolled power lift means including power transmitting connections to the carryingmeans of the tillage elements.

30. A structure according to claim 29, in

which the power transmitting connectionsof the power lift mechanism include a bail journalcd upon the tractor fra-me and flexible connections between 4the ends' of the bail and the means, permitting limited up and down movements'of the latter means automatically under control of the gauge means in conformityl with the conformation of the land traversed by said gauge means.

31. A one man tillage implement for use 1n relation to row crops, comprising a tractor -ment relatively to t including a frame and supporting wheels at its front and rear ends, tillage elements, means carrying said tillage elements and extending beneath the frame of the tractor, depth-regulating means having land engaging gauge means connected to the front end of the means lwhich carry the tillage elements,

a draft mechanism, having a horizontal piv- A otal connection at its rear end with the front end of the means which carry the tillage ele ments and its front end attached to the front end portion of the tractor frame, and also having a horizontal pivot fixed against move# e tractor, and a power lift means including a clutch and power transmitting connections between the clutch and the means which carries the tillage elements, co-operative by successive partial revolutions of the clutch to raise and lower said means, said power transmitting connections including a bail journaled to the tractor frame,a link between the bail and the clutch, and flexible connections between the free ends of the bailv and the means which carries the tillage elements.

32. A tillage implement comprising atractor having supporting wheels atlits front and rear ends, a plurality of beams arranged beneath the body of the tractor and provlded at their rear ends with tillage elements and at their front ends with land engaging supportthe tractor body arranged to permit the tractor to tilt laterally or longitudinally without imparting similar movement to the beams to move freelyin up and down directions relatively to the tractor in accordance with inequalities in the land engaged by the land engaging supporting means and to restrain said beams against sidewise swaying movement.

33. A tillage implement comprising a wheeled tractor adapted to row crop operations, a plurality of beams arranged underneath the tractor body and respectively provided at their rear ends with tillage elements, separate land engaging gage wheels snpporting the front ends of the respective beams, means for adjusting said gage wheels to variably regulate the depth of enetration of the tillage elements into the soi and draft elements connecting the front ends of the respective beams with the tractor body and per-` mitting sidewise tiltin movement of said body relatively to the ams and also permitting the beams freely to rise and fall relatively to the tractor: whereby the tillage elements are caused to work at the depth for which they have been set, regardless of any inequalities in the particular arts of the land traversed by the tractor weels and regardless of any inequalities in theparticnlar vil@ 'ing means, said tillage elements, land engag-J parts of the land traversed wheels.

34. A tillage: implement comprising a wheeled tractor adapted to row crop operations, a plurality of beams arranged underneath the tractor body and res ctively pro.v

vided at their rear ends wit tillage elements, separate land engaging gage wheels Asupporting the front ends ofthe res ective beams and mounted in substantially t e vertical planes of the respective tillage elements, and draft elements connecting the front ends of the respective beams with the tractor body and permitting sidewise tilting movement of be separate land engaging gage wheels supporting the front ends of the respective beams, a plurality `of disconnected draft links whose rear ends have horizontal pivotal connection with the front ends of the respective beams and about which connection the beams and gage wheels have up and down movements in accord with the conformation of the soil engaged by said gage wheels, and whose front ends have horizontal pivotal connection with the front end portion of the tractor, and means deriving power from the travel of the implement for raising and lowering said beams and links unitarily to full transportposition aboutthe ofthe links.

36. A Atillage implement comprising `a wheeled tractor adapted to row crop operapivots at the'front ends tions, a plurality of beams arranged under# neath the tractor body and respectively'provlded at their rear ends with tillage elements,

land engaging means supporting the` front ends of the beams, draft means havingforward pivotal connection with the body and rearward pivotal connection with said beams, lsaid connections being on horizontal axes, adjusting means for raising and lowering the forward ends of the beams about said rearward pivotal connections, and means for raising and lowering the beams and draft means unitarily about said forward pivotal connections, the latter means comprisin a bail pivoted to the body of the tractor, ost motion connections between the ends of the bail and the respective beams, a clutch carried by the tractor and including a driving and driven member, the driving member being operated by power derived from the travby` the gage e el of the implement, means under control of the operator for moving the driven member.

into operative engagement with the driving member, and connections between said driven member and the bail.

37. A tillage implement accordin to claim 20 in which the beams are mounte to be independently movable in up and down directions relatively to-each other and to the means which connect the beams with the tractor, in conformity with the conformation in lthe soil engaged by the land enga ng supy en s of the porting means for the front ams. 38. A tillage im lement according to claim 20 in which the beams are mounted to be independently movable `relatively to each other in `up and down directions, the land engaging means which support the front ends of the beams are separate gage wheels movable independently of eachl other, and the connecting and guiding means include a plurality of independent links whose rear ends` arev pivotally connected tothe respective beams and whose forward ends have pivotal connection with the tractor body.

39. A tillage implement comprising a tractor having supporting wheels at its front and rear ends, a plurality of beams arranged beneath the body of the tractor and provided at their` rear ends with tillage elements and at their front ends 'with land engaging gage wheels, said tillage elements, land engaging gage wheels and tractor. wheels being rela tively arranged to adapt the implement for row crop operation, a plurality of independent draft links respectively connecting the.

front ends of the beams with the tractor body and means to permit the beams to have relative .up and down movements in accord with the conformation of the, soil engaged'by the respective gage wheels while holding them against relative lateral movement, including members respectively secured at their outer ends to the beams, a shaft carried by' said arms and .arms havin slotted rear ends throughwhich said shaft extends and having their front ends lpivoted to the tractor.

nection with the respective beams.

40. A tillage implement according to claim In testimony` whereof I aiiix my signature.

CHARLES T. RAY. 

